How many foreigners are in Russian prisons? FSIN has released official statistics

Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) of Russia Arkady Gostev, at the XI meeting of the Council of Heads of Penitentiary Services of CIS member states held in Kazan on September 11, disclosed the number of foreigners in Russian prisons and pre-trial detention centers. According to him, there are currently about 25,000 foreign citizens being held in Russian institutions.

According to statistics, 18,500 of these individuals are citizens of CIS countries. Of these, 4,500 are in pre-trial detention centers, and 14,100 are serving their sentences in correctional colonies. It is also noted that 16 US citizens are being held in Russian correctional facilities.

The head of the FSIN emphasized that the number of foreign prisoners in Russia is decreasing. This trend is explained by a decline in the crime rate in the country: the number of registered crimes in 2025 decreased by 7 percent, and in the first half of the current year by 16.2 percent. The liberalization of criminal penalties and the expansion of non-custodial sentences have also influenced this indicator.

According to official data, the reasons for foreigners ending up in correctional facilities are most often illegal drug trafficking, theft, crimes against sexual integrity, and illegal border crossing. Among the most sought-after professions for prisoners held in the institutions, the specialties of tailor and bricklayer were noted.